Tie-plate.



PATENT ED SEPT. 18, 1906.

G. W. DENNIS.

TIE PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. DENNIS, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS.

TIE-PLATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed November 2, 1905. Serial No. 285,554.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, GEORGE W. DENNIS, a oltizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Harvey, county of Cook, and

- tie-plates, and more particularly to a tieplate adapted to afford both a wearing-seat and a rail-brace and acting to hold the rail securely in position.

. heads.

Heretofore various kinds of tie-plates have been devised, some of which on their wearing-faces are provided with lugs or transverse ribs of a height approximately equal to the thickness of the rail-flanges and which are adapted to receive the lateral rail thrust; but heretofore means have not been provided to relieve the strain on the spike- In track operation and maintenance it is a matter of considerable concern to prevent the rails from canting, especially on curves, even where the plates as heretofore constructed are employed, owing to the relatively small bearing-surface afforded by the spike-heads on the rail-flanges. Furthermore, it has not been usual in devices of this a class to provide means for gripping the rail from both sides, and thus affording a brace against lateral thrust in either direction.

The object of this invention is to provide a tie-plate which when secured in place upon the ties will firmly grip the rail-base and prevent spreading or canting of the rails.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tie-plate which, while it affords a broad and firm seat for the rail, is of such cheap and simple construction as to bring it plate in side elevation. view of one of the duplicate sections 0 the tie-plate. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating a modified form of tie-plate embodying my invention and adapted for use at a switch juncture. mentary transverse section of the construction shown in Fig. 4, and showing the tieplates in elevation.

As shown in said drawings, AA represent Fig. 3 is a top Ian I Fig. 5 is'a-fragthe ties, and B one of the track-rails secured thereto, and, as shown, comprising an ordinary T-rail, in connection with which the tie plates are employed. Said tie-plates (indicated as a whole by C and C) are each constructed, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of two duplicate interfitting and oppositelyfacing parts or sections of cast or stamped metal or other preferred material. Each of said sections comprises a strip 0 of metal of a width approximately equal to one-half thewidth of the plate and adapted to extend beneath the rail and project from each side thereof and afford approximately one-half of the bearing-surface of the plate and is apertured near each end to permit its being engage'd to the tie. Extending laterally from one end of said strip 0 is an integral flange or web 0 of a width approximately equal to the width of said strip and which is offset upwardly from the strip by the thickness of the plate and is adapted to receive thereunder the opposite or free end 0 of the corresponding section. Extending upwardly and inwardly from the inner end of said flangev or web 0 is air intogral lip or brace c or 0, adapted to closely engage over the base-flange t of the rail when the latter is secured in place. Said lips or braces may be constructed similarly to the braces c of the plate 0, as shown in Fig. 1, in

which case they simply overlap the railfianges, but preferably lips or braces c are employed which, as shown on the plate C in Fig. 1, are formed complementally withthe rail sides and fit closely thereto to a point immediately beneath the rail-head b.. Said braces c are provided centrally with an out wardly-directed vertical fold or ridge 6 in the angle formed by the rail-flanges and web and which adds greatly to the strength of the construction. Said flanges or webs c are apertured adjacent the braces c c, and when the sections are in position beneath the rail with the end 0 of thestrip c of eachbeneath the flange c of, the other the apertures in said ends and flanges are so situated that when 55 and an upwardly and inwardly directed the spikes D are driven each section is forced inwardly toward the rail sufficiently to bring the braces into bindingengagement with the rail sides.

It preferred, at the point of contact be tween switch-point rails and the main track only one section of the plate may be employed, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which case the plate E is constructed similarly to the section a of the plate C, with the exception that the web 6 is not upwardly offset, and the strip e is provided at the side of the rail opposite from the brace 6? with a transverse shoulder or bend 6 against which the opposite flange b of the track-rail B abuts. Said strip 6 extends laterally of the rail B a sufficient distance to afford a slide-plate for the point-rail B of the switch.

The operation is as follows: The plate-sections are inserted beneath the rail from opposite sides with the strips 0 closely adjacent to each other and inserted beneath the webs c of the adjacent section and with the braces c or 0 as the case may be, engaging over the rail-flanges. The spikes D are then inserted in the apertures through the webs c and ends 0, and inasmuch as said apertures are only in exact register when the braces closely impinge the rail when said spikes are driven they act to bring the apertures into register and force said braces firmly against the rail. The remaining spikes D are then driventhrough the apertures in the end of the strip 0 opposite from the end 0, and the rail is thereby firmly enaged in place.

sure thereon, the rails are prevented from canting, thereby obviating the necessity for separate rail-braces.

Obviously a tie-plate constructed in accordance with my invention is not only capable of preventing wear upon the ties, but

also greatly strengthens the track construction, and obviously many details of form and construction may be varied without departingI from the principles of my invention.

claim as my invention 1. In a-device of the class described a plate adapted to project at eachend beyond a rail brace laterally offset from one end thereof and adapted to extend beneath the spikehead. 1

2. In a tie-plate the combination with a wear-plate having a laterally-directed web thereon, of a brace extending upwardly and inwardly from said web and adapted to extend at itslower end beneath the spike-head.

3. Ina device of the class described the Inasmuch as the apertures tor the spikes D are closely adjacent the combination with a wear-plate of a laterallyoffset portion and an upwardly-directed brace on said portion adapted to engage over a rail-flange beneath a spike-head.

4. In a device of the class described' the combination with a plate comprising interfitting sections each of which is provided with an upwardly and laterally oiiset portion adapted to overlap the other section and an inwardly-facing brace on each section adapted to engage the rail.

5. In a device of the class described the combination with a two-part plate of a laterally-directed upwardly-offset web thereon and means on said web adapted to engage over the rail-flange on each side of a rail.

6. A tie-plate comprising interfitting, duplicate sections each having an offset portion overlapping the other.

7. A tie-plate comprising interfitting sections, a laterally and upwardly oflset web on each section adapted to engage over the adjacent end of the opposite section and an inwardly-facing brace on each web and provided with. a vertical fold therein.

8. A tie-plate comprising interfitting oppositely-facing sections having registering apertures therethrough and an upwardly and inwardly directed brace on each section. I

9. A sectional tie-plate comprising in combination metallic strips, a laterally-directed web on each adapted to overlap the adjacent strip and an upwardly andinwardly directed brace on each web.

10. In a tie-plate the combination with a pair of wear-plates of an integral web on one end of each adapted to overlap the opposite end of the other and means on said webs.

adapted to enga e over the rail-flanges.

11. In a tie-p ate a pair of interfitting duplicate sections adapted to engage beneath the rail from opposite sides and each provided with a laterally-directed upward ly oliset web thereon having an integral upwardlydirected brace adapted to engage over the rail-flanges.

12. In a device of the class described the combination with a pair of wear-plates adapt ed to be inserted beneath a rail, of laterallydirected, upwardly-offset integral webs thereon, each adapted to overlap the adjacent plate and a plurality of braces on said plates, adapted to engage the rail, said webs and plates being provided with apertures so disposed that when in register said braces closely impinge the rail.

13. A tie-plate embracing two sections, each extending beneath the rail and having an inwardly-directed integral brace thereon overlying the end of the other and aper tured to receive the spikes whereby the spikes lock the sections to the rail.

14. A tie-plate comprising two sections each extending beneath the rail, laterally offset, upwardly and inwardly-directed bracingflanges thereon, that on each section overlying the end of the other section, said flanges and ends being apertured to receive the spikes whereby the spikes lock the sections to the rail.

15. A tie-plate comprising two duplicate stamped sections adapted to lie side by side beneath the rail, a laterally-offset end on each shaped to overlie and interfit the end of the other section an integral brace on each ofl'set end adapted to bear against the opposite sides of the rail, said sections havin registering apertures to receive the spikes W ereby the same are locked together.

16. A tie-plate comprising two sections each adapted to lie beneath the rail laterally of the other, a laterally-offset, upwardly-directed brace on each adapted to overlie the end of the other and engage a rail from opposite sides, said braces having a vertical central fold therein extending bracingly beneath the rail-head.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. DENNIS.

Witnesses O. W. HILLS, W. W. WITHENBURY. 

